


Share our Troubles

by VisionaryGalaxy



Series: The Symphony of Our Catastrophe [1]
Category: X-Men (Alternate Timeline Movies), X-Men (Movieverse)
Genre: Boys In Love, Charles Xavier has a Ph.D in Adorable, Don't copy to another site, Drabble, Headaches & Migraines, M/M, My First Work in This Fandom, Protective Erik Lehnsherr
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-29
Updated: 2019-05-29
Packaged: 2020-03-29 12:41:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,047
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19020133
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VisionaryGalaxy/pseuds/VisionaryGalaxy
Summary: Charles has a migraine and Erik is long used to helping him with them.





	Share our Troubles

   It started with a headache. The most subtle of aches making itself known in his temple, causing Erik to look up from the book in his lap, eyes straying toward the doorway. Instinct had him reaching out, taking in the feeling of old metal pipes behind thick plaster walls, nails and wires holding up the picture frames in the hallway outside, the knobs and locks imbedded in the doors.

   It didn’t take long until he sensed metal that was wrapped around someone distinctly human. He could feel the metal of a belt buckle, the pen forgotten in a pocket and of course, that watch, familiar as his own breath.

   Charles.

   He was in his study, restless and moving around it seemed. Frowning, Erik dropped his book onto the coffee table and got to his feet with a sigh. For once, the house was empty, all the kids having gone outside at Raven’s insistence so they could practice the more…combative abilities. It was a good thing to, considering how bad the headache must be.

   Charles rarely projected without meaning to. His control was impeccable and the source of his envy for awhile now, tempered only by the man’s constant support in Erik’s own abilities. He neared the study and carefully pulled his shields up, trying to keep his mind calm and docile so as not to antagonize Charles further.

   Opening the door to the study, the pain in his head flourished into something just on the side of a migraine, making him wince. Charles was sitting at his desk now, head in his hands and eyes squeezed closed.

   “I’m sorry Erik.”

   Charles was always sorry, even when he shouldn’t be. Naïve, innocent, foolish, probably why he fell in love with the man in the first place.

   “Thanks for that,” Charles commented, sounding strained.

   Erik shook his head, “how many times do I have to tell you to stay out of my head?” there was no heat to the words, long used to the subtle pressure on his mind. It was familiar now, comforting in a way. “Come lay down.”

   It was a testament to how bad it must be that Charles didn’t protest. No, he simply stood, albeit a bit shakily and made his way to the couch. Erik sat and patted his lap, unable to help but smile when Charles laid down carefully and rested his head there.

   Taking a steadying breath, Erik watched as Charles’ bright blue eyes disappeared behind his lashes, his entire body going to lax. He dropped a hand to his hair, running his fingers through soothingly and shaking his head when Charles pushed into the motion like the cat he pretended he wasn’t.

   The ache had settled behind his own eyes, so Erik closed them and carefully began the process of thinking of nothing. It wasn’t that hard, a skill he learned long ago out of necessity and one he knew Charles appreciated when he was like this.

   His awareness of the metal dotting the room became amplified. He was intimately aware of the handles on the desk, the scissors, the paper clips, the staples, the picture frame, all of it. There were few things better then being surrounded by metal, feeling its presence and the strength that inevitably came with it, sitting in his around him and waiting to be used.

   “Thank you,” Charles murmured quietly from his lap, making Erik look down at him.

   His eyes were still closed but his head turned into his stomach a bit as Erik continued to pet him, “you don’t have to thank me,” he replied quietly.

   The impression of gratitude and loneliness pressed against his brain softly and Erik sighed. These headaches were a side affect of his telepathy, an unpleasant one, especially in a mansion filled with excited voices and children with loud obnoxious thoughts, it was a wonder he didn’t have them more frequently.

   Usually they meant seclusion, even from Erik. Having extra thoughts battering at his skull was the last thing he needed, particularly when his own defenses were down. But when it wasn’t too bad Erik could be here, well-aware of how much Charles hated being on his own during these attacks.

   Already, the pain was receding a little bit. It would linger for hours yet of course but at least he wasn’t working himself through them like he often did. They really should take a vacation at some point.

   Charles hummed as though in agreement.

   Erik shook his head again, “not any time soon I think.”

   “No, too much to do.”

   That did seem to be the mantra of their lives here. Erik didn’t mind. It was true, he sometimes felt like crawling out of his own skin and grew restless from being in one place so long, but it always passed, eventually.

   “Erik,” Charles sighed.

   Right, too much thinking. He summoned a coin, not _the_ coin, but a coin from his pocket and began to play with it idly, limiting his thoughts.

   He wasn’t sure how long they stayed there, simply pressed against each other, waiting patiently for Charles’ head to no longer feel like it was about to explode, but eventually the sounds of voices filtered in from down the hall.

   Erik glanced down at Charles, who was blinking rapidly and lifting his head toward the door. He tugged his hair in disapproval, making him lie back down with an amused huff. The headache had faded to a dull throb in one temple, definitely an improvement.

   “We don’t have to get up yet.”

   Charles let out a slow, gentle smile, “I suppose not, Raven can handle them a bit longer.”

   Erik hummed, twirling the coin a bit faster, “tell me what you were working on.”

   It was all the prompting Charles needed to begin a detailed description of the research he had been doing, the plans for a new wing of the mansion, his exploration of a new strain of mutation, and on and on.

   Simply listening to his soft, accented voice was enough to make Erik’s heart swell with affection as he spoke on mindlessly.

   Charles paused only briefly, “I love you too, darling.”

   He continued, not missing a beat and Erik shook his head, silently admonishing the man, _stay out of my head_.


End file.
